Description
A comforting and nutritious Pumpkin Mac and Cheese featuring creamy pumpkin sauce blended with sharp cheddar and gouda cheeses, combined with gluten-free rotini pasta and roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts for added texture and flavor. This dish offers a perfect balance of creamy, cheesy indulgence with wholesome roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Roasting
- 1 organic pie pumpkin (about 28 ounces OR 1 (15 ounce) can organic pumpkin puree)
- olive oil cooking spray
- 16 ounce cauliflower florets (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 16 ounce quartered Brussels sprouts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pasta
- 12 ounces gluten-free or wheat rotini pasta
Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 2 tablespoons all purpose or gluten-free flour
- 1 1/2 cups fat free milk
- 2/3 cup reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 5 ounces fresh grated Sharp Light Cheddar (like Cabot 50%)
- 4 ounces fresh grated Gouda
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Toss cauliflower florets and quartered Brussels sprouts with olive oil and kosher salt. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheets.
- Roast Pumpkin and Vegetables: If roasting fresh pumpkin, cut off the top, slice into quarters, and scoop out seeds. Place pumpkin pieces on the baking sheet with the vegetables. Roast all at 400°F for 35 to 37 minutes, stirring vegetables and rotating pans halfway through, until vegetables are soft and browning at edges, and pumpkin is tender when pierced.
- Prepare Pumpkin Puree: Remove roasted vegetables and pumpkin from oven. Once cool enough to handle, peel pumpkin skin away and discard. Place pumpkin flesh in a food processor and puree until smooth, adding up to 3 tablespoons of water as needed to achieve creamy consistency.
- Cook Pasta: While vegetables roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions, omitting any added fat or salt. Drain and set aside.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced onion and cook on low for about 2 minutes until soft. Sprinkle in flour and cook for another minute until golden and well combined. Gradually whisk in milk and broth, increasing heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Combine Pumpkin and Season: Stir pumpkin puree into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in sharp cheddar, gouda, and parmesan cheeses until melted and smooth. Season with kosher salt (about 3/4 teaspoon), a pinch of nutmeg, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Assemble Mac and Cheese: Fold cooked pasta and roasted vegetables into the cheese and pumpkin sauce until evenly combined. Serve warm.
Notes
- Swap out the pumpkin for butternut squash to change up the flavor.
- Replace Brussels sprouts with broccoli florets for a different vegetable mix.
- Add sautéed chicken sausage to increase protein content.
- Use any small pasta shape like elbow macaroni instead of rotini.
- For a baked version, top the dish with breadcrumbs and finish baking in the oven for a crispy crust.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups
- Calories: 358 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 457.5 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
